X-ray imaging apparatus, medical image processing apparatus, X-ray imaging method and medical image processing method

Abstract

According to one embodiment, an X-ray imaging apparatus includes an X-ray imaging system, a control system, and a display processing circuit. The X-ray imaging system is configured to acquire X-ray image data of an object. The control system is configured to control the imaging system to acquire frames of X-ray image data corresponding to mutually different not less than three directions by reciprocating the imaging system. The display processing circuit is configured to generate stereoscopically visible image data by lining up the frames of the X-ray image data in a display order different from an acquisition order of the frames of the X-ray image data. The display order is according to a moving direction of the imaging system.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An X-ray imaging apparatus, comprising:
 an imaging system, having an X-ray tube and an X-ray detector, configured to acquire X-ray image data of an object by using at least one imaging system; 
 a control system configured to control the imaging system to acquire frames of the X-ray image data corresponding to mutually different not less than three directions by reciprocating the imaging system; and 
 a display processing circuit configured to generate stereoscopically visible image data by lining up the frames of the X-ray image data in a display order different from an acquisition order of the frames of the X-ray image data, the display order being determined according to whether a moving direction of the imaging system is clockwise or counterclockwise as viewed from a craniocaudal direction of the object, the display order being along an increasing time direction, the frames of the X-ray image data being acquired during a movement of the imaging system and corresponding to positions that are between but not including ends of a movement range of the imaging system. 
 
     
     
       2. The X-ray imaging apparatus of  claim 1 ,
 wherein said display processing circuit is configured to use a newest frame of the X-ray image data as image data for a right eye when the newest frame of the X-ray image data was acquired while the imaging system moves in a first direction, and use the newest frame of the X-ray image data as image data for a left eye when the newest frame of the X-ray image data was acquired while the imaging system moves in a second direction opposite to the first direction. 
 
     
     
       3. The X-ray imaging apparatus of  claim 1 ,
 wherein said display processing circuit is configured to use a newest frame of the X-ray image data as image data for a right eye when the newest frame of the X-ray image data was acquired while the imaging system rotates toward a left anterior oblique direction, and use the newest frame of the X-ray image data as image data for a left eye when the newest frame of the X-ray image data was acquired while the imaging system rotates toward a right anterior oblique direction, a rotation axis of the imaging system being directed to the craniocaudal direction of the object. 
 
     
     
       4. The X-ray imaging apparatus of  claim 3 ,
 wherein the imaging system is configured to acquire the X-ray image data by exposing an X-ray in an exposure direction defined by a first angle between a left anterior oblique direction and a right anterior oblique direction of the object, and a second angle between a first direction toward a cranial direction and a second direction toward a caudal direction of the object. 
 
     
     
       5. The X-ray imaging apparatus of  claim 1 ,
 wherein said display processing circuit is configured to use two frames of the X-ray image data as image data for a right eye and image data for a left eye, a movement interval or a difference in a rotation angle of the imaging system corresponding to the two frames of the X-ray image data being a predetermined value. 
 
     
     
       6. The X-ray imaging apparatus of  claim 5 ,
 wherein said control system is configured to control the imaging system to acquire the frames of the X-ray image data with the movement interval or the difference in the rotation angle of the imaging system. 
 
     
     
       7. The X-ray imaging apparatus of  claim 5 ,
 wherein said control system is configured to control the imaging system to acquire the frames of the X-ray image data with a constant time interval. 
 
     
     
       8. The X-ray imaging apparatus of  claim 1 ,
 wherein said display processing circuit is configured to generate the stereoscopically visible image data by a coordinate conversion of the frames of the X-ray image data, the coordinate conversion corresponding to a moving direction of the imaging system. 
 
     
     
       9. The X-ray imaging apparatus of  claim 8 ,
 wherein the imaging system is configured to repeatedly acquire X-ray image data in which a right breast of the object is depicted and X-ray image data in which a left breast of the object is depicted; and 
 the display processing circuit is configured to generate image data for a right eye and image data for a left eye to be displayed in a direction for a stereoscopic viewing by rotating two frames of the X-ray image data each depicting the left breast of the object or two frames of the X-ray image data each depicting the right breast of the object. 
 
     
     
       10. The X-ray imaging apparatus of  claim 8 ,
 wherein the imaging system is configured to acquire the X-ray image data in a craniocaudal direction of the object; and 
 the display processing circuit is configured to generate image data for a right eye and image data for a left eye by rotating the frames of the X-ray image data to make the craniocaudal direction be a right and left direction. 
 
     
     
       11. The X-ray imaging apparatus of  claim 1 ,
 wherein said control system is configured to move the imaging system along an ellipse or figure-eight locus, a projection of the locus on a plane becoming pendular. 
 
     
     
       12. The X-ray imaging apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein a difference in angle between exposure directions of X-rays exposed in order to acquire two-parallax images consisting of the stereoscopically visible image data generated by the display processing circuit is set within a range from 1 degree to 3 degrees. 
     
     
       13. The X-ray imaging apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the frames of the X-ray image data are acquired with a constant time interval by the imaging system of which speed is not constant. 
     
     
       14. The X-ray imaging apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the frames of the X-ray image data are acquired with a constant difference in rotational angle of the imaging system of which speed is not constant. 
     
     
       15. A medical image processing apparatus, comprising:
 an image acquisition circuit configured to acquire frames of X-ray image data corresponding to mutually different not less than three directions, the frames of the X-ray image data being acquired by reciprocating a single imaging system, the frames of the X-ray image data being acquired during a movement of the imaging system and corresponding to positions that are between but not including ends of a movement range of the imaging system; and 
 a display processing circuit configured to generate stereoscopically visible image data by lining up the frames of the X-ray image data in a display order different from an acquisition order of the frames of the X-ray image data, the display order being determined according to whether a moving direction of the imaging system is clockwise or counterclockwise as viewed from a craniocaudal direction of the object, the display order being along an increasing time direction. 
 
     
     
       16. An X-ray imaging method, comprising:
 acquiring X-ray image data of an object by using an imaging system; 
 controlling the imaging system to acquire frames of the X-ray image data corresponding to mutually different not less than three directions by reciprocating the imaging system, the frames of the X-ray image data being acquired during a movement of the imaging system and corresponding to positions that are between but not including ends of a movement range of the imaging system; and 
 generating stereoscopically visible image data by lining up the frames of the X-ray image data in a display order different from an acquisition order of the frames of the X-ray image data, the display order being determined according to whether a moving direction of the imaging system is clockwise or counterclockwise as viewed from a craniocaudal direction of the object, the display order being along an increasing time direction. 
 
     
     
       17. A medical image processing method, comprising:
 acquiring frames of X-ray image data corresponding to mutually different not less than three directions, the frames of the X-ray image data being acquired by reciprocating a single imaging system, the frames of the X-ray image data being acquired during a movement of the imaging system and corresponding to positions that are between but not including ends of a movement range of the imaging system; and 
 generating stereoscopically visible image data by lining up the frames of the X-ray image data in a display order different from an acquisition order of the frames of the X-ray image data, the display order being determined according to whether a moving direction of the imaging system is clockwise or counterclockwise as viewed from a craniocaudal direction of the object, the display order being along an increasing time direction.